Sampson County Schools test scores rise for 2015-2016

Officials from Sampson County Schools are pleased with the achievements of students and teachers from the previous school year.

According to state results released from State Board of Education, local schools are achieving at higher levels in most subjects. The overall composite score on the end-of-grade and end-of-course tests for the 2015-2016 school increased to 61.4 percent, an increase from 57.4 percent in 2014-15.

“We are proud that these test scores show that our students are progressing academically,” said Dr. Eric Bracy, superintendent of Sampson County Schools. “Our teachers, administrators, and all who support their work are to be commended. I expect that we will see even more progress this year as we have a great deal of excitement about the possibilities offered in our district.”

The previous school year was the fourth year under the North Carolina’s READY accountability model. Set by the State Board, it includes student performance on end-of-grade and end-of-course assessments based on five achievement levels, ranging from Achievement Level I (Limited Command) to Achievement Level 5 (Superior Command). The data also includes overall student proficiency on end-of-grade and end-of-course assessments, academic growth, School Performance Grades and graduation rates.

For grades 3-8, the state offers reading and mathematics end-of-grade assessments and science assessments in grades fifth and eighth. The high school accountability model is based on end-of-course tests in English II, Biology, and Math I; the ACT; graduation rates; math course rigor; and ACT WorkKeys.

In Sampson County Schools, 83 percent of the schools met or exceeded growth expectations, up from 78 percent last year. The state considers growth to be an indication of the rate at which students in the school learned over the past year and the standard is roughly equivalent to a year’s worth of growth for a year of instruction.

Throughout the district, 15 schools met or exceeded expectations for academic growth, which were set by the state. Clement Elementary, Hargrove Elementary, Midway Elementary, Plain View Elementary, Union Elementary and Sampson Early College High School all exceeded growth last year.

Union Intermediate, Lakewood High School and Roseboro-Salemburg Middle School did not meet growth.

The graduation rate remained the same at 80.9 percent. On the ACT, Sampson students who met the minimum composite score requirement set by the University of North Carolina admission system, jumped from 49.2 percent (2014-2015) to 53.5 percent (2015-2016).

When it came to the Performance Accountability Measures, there was no change in grades 3 through 8 reading. However, math jumped from 55.7 in 2014-15 to 61.5 in 2015-16 and science improved from 69.2 to 76.3. At the high school level, Biology improved from 42.3 to 51.6 while Math I rose from 60.6 to 64.3 and English II improved from 48.3 to 55.

According to a new release from Sampson County Schools, Hobbton Elementary posted the highest performance composite for the district at 77.9 percent, followed by Sampson Early College at 77.6, Union Elementary at 77.5, and Plain View Elementary at 76.9.

Clement Elementary showed the greatest rate of improvement on performance of all the schools in the district, moving from 59.7 performance composite in 2014-15 to 75.1 in 2015-16.

Col. Tommy Macon, assistant superintendent for curriculum and student services, said the success was a team effort.

“I’m proud of the fact that Sampson County embraces our playbook which is knowing every student,” Macon said in regards to the work of administrators, teachers and support personnel. “It’s important to understand the needs of our students, then give them what they need to be successful.”

For more information about the results, visit www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/reporting/